Health insurance, agricultural production and investments

Abstract

We study the effects of health insurance coverage on agricultural production decisions, examining the causal relationships by exploiting a health care reform and providing a theoretical framework to elucidate underlying mechanisms. We find that the reform led to long-run increases in total cultivation investments and output, accompanied by a shift in households’ cultivation portfolio towards riskier crops. We explain these findings using a model of agricultural investment, highlighting the important roles of health insurance in mitigating background medical expenditure risks and enhancing health. We also find that the reform improved households’ financial well-being through reduced debts and defaults on loans.